Motorcycles have display indicators for many different types of systems on the motorcycle. The displays include gauges, lights and other types of displays.
However, there are several problems associated with viewing such different systems on a motorcycle. One problem is that motorcycles are ridden in a many diverse weather and lighting conditions including bright sunlight, darkness, overcast, twilight, dusk and rainy conditions. Such weather and lighting conditions make it difficult to view display indicators.
Another problem is that when a rider of a motorcycle desires to view a display indicator on a motorcycle, the rider has to temporarily take his/her eyes off the road to view a display indicator.
Another problem is that the display indicators on a motorcycle are spread across a front end of a motorcycle. This makes it difficult to view a desired display indicator quickly.
Another problem is that many motorcycle riders like to customize their bikes with personal objects. Such personal objects often interfere with viewing of display indicators.
There have been attempts to solve some of the problems associated with viewing display indicators on motorcycles. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,060,985, entitled “Motorcycle instrument panel easily positioned on the vehicle” that issued to Siviero teaches A motorcycle instrument panel comprises a plurality of displays (4-15) for enabling the driver to check, for example, his speed (4), the activation state of one or more vehicle services such as lighting devices (8), direction indicators (9) and the like, and values relating to engine operation, such as its r.p.m., or its contained liquids, such as their temperature and level, said displays being connected to measurement and processing means (21) for the quantities to be displayed. The instrument panel comprises flexible circuit means enabling at least a part of the displays present on said instrument panel to be activated and operated.
U.S. Pat. No. D471,141, entitled “Portion of a motorcycle instrument cover” that issued to Hofmann, et al. teaches an ornamental design for a portion of a motorcycle instrument cover, as shown and described.
U.S. Pat. No. D461,437, entitled “Motorcycle instrument cover” that issued to Hofmann et al., teaches an ornamental design for a motorcycle instrument cover, as shown and described.
U.S. Pat. No. D412,139, entitled “Motorcycle instrument frame” that issued to Hanlon, et al. teaches an ornamental design for a motorcycle instrument frame, as shown and described.
U.S. Pat. No. D318,255, entitled “Motorcycle instrument housing” that issued to Maxwell, teaches an ornamental design for a motorcycle instrument housing, as shown and described.
U.S. Pat. No. D279,975, entitled “Motorcycle instrument cluster” that issued to Akira, et al., teaches the ornamental design for a motorcycle instrument cluster, as shown and described.
U.S. Pat. No. D261,752, entitled “Motorcycle instrument cluster” that issued to Iwakura teaches an ornamental design for a motorcycle instrument cluster, as shown.
There have also been attempts to illuminate personal objects such as Halloween objects such as pumpkins and skulls. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,091,833, entitled “Illuminated face elements and kit for making an illuminated face on pumpkins and the like” that issued to Paniaguas, et al., teaches a kit for creating a face on a head-like base such as a pumpkin to create a jack-o-lantern or the like. The kit includes a plurality of illuminating units, each of which has a battery and light bulb, and a plurality of largely translucent facial elements such as an eye, mouth, ear, etc. The facial elements are screwed into the illuminating unit to envelop and surround the light bulb so that light from the bulb's light is transmitted through the facial elements and emitted from the external surfaces of those elements. The assembly is configured so that the battery is housed in a spear-like pointed base which may be pushed into the head-like base and the light-emitting facial element thereby affixed to the outer surface of the head-like base. Other non-illuminated facial elements may supplement the illuminated ones. The translucent facial elements are interchangeable on the illuminating units so that the same unit can use different elements and the user can have different choices of elements. The translucent elements and base when assembled together enclose the electrical elements in a waterproof manner. The translucent elements have their outer surfaces coated with a light-reflecting coating so that light is emitted only on desired uncoated surface areas.
U.S. Pat. No. D485,633, entitled “Electrified skull with three-way switch for battery-powered flashing eyes and full on/off LED lighting” that issued to Krumholz teaches an ornamental design for an electrified skull with three-way switch for battery-powered flashing eyes and full on/off LED lighting, as shown and described.
However, these inventions still do not solve all of the problems associated with display indicators on motorcycles. It is desirable to provide a viewing system for motorcycles that allows easy viewing of display indicators on motorcycles.